Fallout New Vegas: The Legion
by ShadowMarshal33
Summary: This is the first chapter of my ongoing fallout new vegas fanfiction. I tend to keep it going as long as I can. This is the story of Claire Henderson whose life is changed forever thanks to one legionary
1. Chapter 1: Just a Normal Day

Fallout New Vegas: The Legion

Ch.1: Just a Normal Day

It was a just a normal day. The sun breaks out from behind the mountains, going right into my eyes and interrupting some dream I can't remember. I look at my homemade calendar, September 9, 2275. Today's a morning shift I tell myself. I slowly climb out of my bed and go into the bathroom. I brush my teeth and take a shower in our retrofitted bathtub, connected to a large water drum. The water is lukewarm, as usual, so I quickly clean myself with prickly pear soap made by Old lady Herrington down the street. Wearing nothing but a towel, I walk back to my room that I share with my best friend Miranda in the bunkhouse we rented together with five other residents.

I walk by the kitchen where the local Kings member James is cooking breakfast. James runs a local Kings School Of Impersonation, where any dork can try to become like The King of Rock himself. Of course, he has to try to flirt with me with his cheesy pick up lines he always says, " Hey baby, I'm no photographer but I can picture me and YOU together." He points at me Fonzie style. I roll my eyes, trying to pretend that I'm not laughing on the inside, " Will you ever stop trying to pick me up? You've tried for almost two years James." I put my hand on my hips. "Claire, my darling, the day I stop going for your heart is the day mine stops beating." he cooed. Unable to contain it I laugh.

James is good guy but a dork still. He bunks with Mattias, one of the local repairmen. It was him and his boss Frank who practically rebuilt the whole town, and he is James' best friend. "Where's Mattias?" I question James. "Frank told him to meet at the watershed. something about fixing the sift pump so we have drinkable water or whatever." he replied. "We kinda need that James, hopefully it's not too serious." I said. "Nah baby, If I know Matthias and Frank like do, they'll be back before lunch, speaking of lunch. Don't you need to get ready for work? The Nuka Cafe won't open itself ya know?" he said. " Oh crap I almost forgot!" I rush back to my room almost taking out our ghoul landlord and fellow resident Roger Rodriguez. "Hey watch it smoothskin! You trying to kill me?" he barked. Roger was rough around the edges but he was like a grandfather to all of us.

By the time we were teenagers, most of our parents were either dead or they disappeared. So Roger took it upon himself to get this bunkhouse up and let us live there till we could work and pay rent.

I get back into my room and I find Miranda was just getting out of bed. "Did you have another late night?" I asked her, "Ugh I feel like brahmin shit." She mumbled. " I told you not to drink on a work night, but nooobody listens to me." I mocked her. "Screw you" she said as she shuffled her way to the bathroom. I take my damp, towel off and hang it to dry. I go to my dresser and pull out my work uniform. I work as a waitress at a local diner called, The Nuka Cafe. As obvious it sound, my uniform is a red dress with the Nuka Cola label on the back. I noted some slight tears on my skirt that I would need to mend later and I put it on. Once I finished changing. I grab some mirelurk cakes James made, and head out the door.

The desert sun already shining down on the cosy, little town of Valiant, Nevada. It's a small, unassuming, town that traders and travelers stop through before they head to Denver, New Vegas, Salt Lake City, or even further west towards California and the NCR. What put it on the map is the fact that it has an underground water channel that brings up plenty of drinkable water, thanks to Frank and Mattias. Overtime it became a central supply point for most trading companies and our town became quite prosperous from it.

As I walk down the road towards the cafe I get greeted by everyone I pass by. "Morning Claire!" gets shouted to me everyday. Not only because of the uniform but because much to my dismay, everyone says I am the prettiest girl in town. I really don't consider myself to be that pretty. My hair is red and goes to my shoulders, it's nothing special I think. It's a pain to deal with a half the time. My skin is about as pale as can get which combined with the desert sun, means it's never fun to be outside. I'm skinny but nothing glamourous like the old pre-war models you see in the magazines. And as much I as hate them, I have a row of freckles that dot across my nose. As I said I don't consider myself attractive but everyone says otherwise.

A few hours into my shift at The Nuka Cafe, I take a break for my lunch. Miranda comes in to eat before she starts her shift as well. She sits next to me ordering the one thing she will only eat and drink. " A brahmin burger with cheese and a Nuka float please!" she says. "How do you manage to keep your figure with your diet choices?" I laughed "Simple, lots and lots of morning exercises!" she countered. We both sit there and look out the window to see the local detachment of NCR troops doing their shift changes.

Since the NCR arrived to the Mojave Wasteland a few years back they have been eager to establish bases and territories around the Hoover Dam area. With Valiant being located about 20 miles east from the Hoover Dam, it also became an important outpost for the NCR.

It worked in the town's favor as we enjoyed the extra money and security the NCR troopers brought with them. Their favorite hotspot was the local casino and of course, The Nuka Cafe. Most of the troopers being long away from their homes in California. Find the cafe to be a comforting, slice of home.

Not to mention they just love to try and flirt with the waitresses. One in particular who's been trying to date me is PFC Garrett Morrison. He's 22 years old just like me. He proudly proclaims to be his platoon's best marksman, and I will admit although I find him to be obnoxious like James. he is very charming and kind of handsome in my opinion.

Of course today he comes in with his NCR buddies for lunch as well before they return to their garrison. "Claire!" he shouts as he breaks from his pack and runs to me. " Hello Garret, how are you?" I reply. "Much better now that you're here today, you going back to work?" he asks. "No not yet, I just got on my lunch break." I tell him. "Do you mind if we join you ladies then? Hey cook! Get these ladies whatever else they want, it's on me!" He barks at the cook. Surprised I try to tell him that he doesn't need to only to be told "Wonderful ladies like yourselves make it worthwhile being stationed here. All we got back at base is field rations and Major Hamilton who thinks he's Genghis Khan." He jokes, getting laughs from his fellow troopers. " Well I don't know what to say Morrison. Thank you!" I tell him. "Don't mention it. However… if you want to pay me back, I'm off duty tonight and the film at the mess hall on base is showing, The Silver Shroud and the Boston Skinner. What do you say?" he asks.

Miranda unable to control herself, "Claire would love too!" she exclaims. "What! Miranda! Not cool!" I glare a her. " Well?" the PFC asks again. "Oh alright, sounds like fun." giving into the pressure. Everyone breaks out in laughter. Morrison smiles at me and I at him.

Maybe it will be fun I tell myself. I look out towards town hall, it's decaying roof and partially reconstructed walls serve as a reminder of the past, but as a beacon to the future as well.

Then…. A flash of light and a monstrous explosion completely engulf town hall. PFC Morrison jumps on top of me and another trooper jumps on Miranda to shield us from the blast. That's what began the worst day of my life.


	2. Chapter 2: The Legionary

Fallout New Vegas: The Legion

Ch 2: The Legionary

I watch as the sun rises over the wasteland sands. It's rays turning the canyon rock from a deep red to a bright orange. I inspect my body and keep note of a few new cuts and bruises. My arms, chest, and back show almost a lifetime of wear and tear. Unconcerned by it I run my fingers through my short, slightly graying, black hair and breathe deeply. I begin my daily mantra of exercises and meditations, designed to bring harmony to both my spirit and body. I can still remember the quotes my father would tell me, "Harmony is the universe aligning as one. Good and evil, black and white, spirit and body. All these things cannot live without the other. To be a true warrior, you must bring balance to everywhere you go and in everything you do or you will die in spirit and body!."

It wasn't till I killed my first man that I truly understood the words my father spoke. And now with only three days left before my 30th anniversary of becoming a legionary and swearing loyalty under Caesar, the centurion I work with tells me that's the very same day we begin the operation.

September 9, 2245, I can still picture it clearly as if it was yesterday. I was about thirteen at this time. My father and I were in the Arizona wastelands, making our way west because we had heard about the New California Republic. He believed that was the best chance for survival for the two of us. Whether you believe in fate or simply bad luck doesn't matter, because we had none of it. Every settlement, every village, every outpost we lived at or tried to live at would be destroyed, raided, burnt to the ground, or simply vanished without a trace. Because of this seemingly, endless bad luck we were forced to become scavengers and nomads. Traveling from place to place, never having a home, no form of attachment except for each other. I was still too young to understand why this was happening to us. He would always say, " The reason for our misfortune is because the universe seeks to balance the sins that I have gained in my 250 years of life my son. By raising you and teaching you everything I know, maybe it will go a bit faster." He would always laugh after that, right on queue.

Now you may wonder why my father would be 250 years old and yet his "son" is only thirteen is because I was adopted and raised by a ghoul. His name was Wu Zhang.

Wu Zhang was a part of the PLA's special operations unit detachment that was sent to America as a sleeper cell unit. He remembered moving to the U.S during the Resource Wars that would eventually lead to the final Great War that destroyed the world. His job was to help fuel the fear and paranoia already gripping the U.S populace. He told me his jobs ranged from assassinations, bombings, kidnappings, torture, and theft of classified documents.

I asked him, " Dad why did you do such terrible things?"

he replied," Because at the time I was not a balanced man. I was living in utter darkness. I felt that by doing these terrible acts, I would bring honor and victory for my country! Little did I know that all I brought upon myself was pain and sadness." He told me the day the bombs dropped he realized how much of a fool he had been, that he wasted such precious time that could have been spent with his wife and son.

He told me the bombs had dropped right in the middle of a mission in Washington D.C where him and his team were fleeing the area after they had stolen documents from a military outpost about power armor development being researched there. I asked him, "What happened when the bombs dropped?" he chuckled, "We drove back to the military outpost as fast as possible!"

In the aftermath of the bombs, my father found himself to be the last standing member of his team. He took only what was with him into the newly formed wastelands of America. His Hei Gui stealth suit, his special energized jian straight sword given to him by his commander, a Norinco Type 93 assault rifle, and his Shanxi Type 17 pistol. He still had those very same weapons with him even after 250 years.

He told me, " When the day comes of my passing of this mortal coil, I give everything I have to you my son." I marveled at the beauty of his sword, the way the hilt reflected its ancient lineage and the blade represented the technological marvels of the modern era all in one beautiful, and deadly package.

It was September 8, I remember, we were somewhere near Flagstaff. We had just left a small mining town that we resupplied at and were checking out some old factories for anything valuable. After dealing with a few radroaches here and there, we didn't have much luck finding anything good. The last building however was different. As we started making our way deeper in the factory, the air progressively became damp and musty, the ground became moist and the light started fading away. Eventually, we reached the main assembly area but it became too dark to see so my father grabbed a flashlight and almost ran straight into a rotting brahmin corpse. I almost burst out laughing before my father silenced me, he beckoned me to get behind him. Looking around we noticed more corpses, a lot more.

Naturally scared, I grabbed onto his arm he whispered, "We need to leave now. I know what creature this den houses." Immediately as he said that we heard a loud thud to the left of the exit. And BOOM! A deathclaw emerges behind the ancient machinery. My father, remaining strangely calm, grabs his rifle with one hand and has his flashlight in the other. I however, was about to scream in sheer terror. My father rushes towards me and covers my mouth. Using hand signals he points towards the monstrous creature.

I notice why he didn't shoot the creature on sight. The deathclaw had no eyes! Slowly the creature approaches our position, sniffing the air and flicking its' serpentine tongue trying to pick up our scent. Thanks to all the rotting corpses however, our scent was masked. we slowly started navigating around the beast. To our dismay, the more we got away from the corpses the more the monster could smell us. Its head began tracking our direction and started getting more aggressive. Then all of a sudden, the creature rushes towards our position and stops right in front of me! I don't move a muscle, I could feel the deathclaws' musty breath on my face but I stay a statue. It began sniff towards my backpack. Now I know why it picked up my scent, it was because I bought salted brahmin jerky that morning! As I imagined the most horrible death possible, in a flash my father pulled his Jingwei's shocksword and decapitates the creature like it's heavily muscled neck was butter!

After we had finished collecting the horns, claws, and teeth from the decapitated deathclaw we make our way out of the factory and back in the wilderness. The skies began to darken as night fell and we made camp in an old cave. We built a campfire and began to cook dinner. The fire's glare reflects in my father's eyes. I could tell he wanted to tell me something but despite all of his talents, the one thing he was never good at was starting conversations.

"What is it dad? What's the matter?" I questioned him. He looked at me and paused for moment, like he was gathering his thoughts before he asked me, "Do you truly consider me as your father? I'm sure you were old enough when I found you that you remember your real family. Why did you start calling me dad?"

He honestly seemed confused, I immediately replied, "Yes, I do remember my parents. I remember my mother's bright, loving smile and my father's big bushy beard!" I chuckle as the thought of his beard always tickling my face when he would hug me. "I remember my older sister too, how even though she was a teenager she always made time to play with me. I remember them all clearly. But that was a long time ago, and now it's just us and that's what matters." I tell him and I meant every word.

My words brought a smile to his face and he took a deep breath as if to tell me more. "When I discovered your farm, it looked like a warzone. bodies of raiders, dogs, and brahmin were everywhere. I first found your father, in an old, beat up suit of T-45d power armor and a busted minigun. It was then I found your mother in combat armor lying next to him. I looked inside and I found your sister… well, what was her, shielding you from whatever had gotten inside. Then I found you, only 6 years old covered in blood, crying and clutching to her begging her to wake up." he paused, as if the memories had caused him physical pain to recall them.

"You first screamed when you first were aware of my presence, probably thought I was another raider. I had my face covered so you weren't spooked by my looks. You ran into a closet and locked the door behind you. I spent hours there trying to coax you out. At one point I had actually fallen asleep, holding a teddy bear and fancy lad snack cakes. You slowly went towards me and grabbed them both. I slowly opened my eyes and began to move quietly so not to disturb you and I wrapped a blanket around you."

I smiled towards him and handed him some cooked gecko while he continued, "You were startled at first but then immediate clutched on to me and wouldn't let go. Not that I couldn't blame you. I took you away from that place after gather any remaining supplies that were left." He finished and began eating. I stopped eating for a moment to process the story, "No matter what I consider you my father. I have no one else in entire world. That's why I want to be by your side till the very end." I told him and we continued eating.

What I didn't know was fate would be calling a lot sooner than we had hoped…..


	3. Chapter 3: The Valiant Few

Fallout New Vegas: The Legion Ch.3

The Valiant Few

 **Note: Hello everyone! So as you can see I'm doing two different characters so you get two different sides in this amazing story! Hope you all enjoy it and please give me feedback so I can improve my work!**

It all happened so fast. The flash, followed by the thunderous blast that had completely leveled what was the town hall of Valiant. The troopers and waitress Miranda Halton were slowly regaining their senses when they saw Claire was unresponsive. Immediately Miranda ran over to help Claire while Morrison went to check on his troopers

"Claire! Claire can you hear me? CLAIRE!" Miranda was shouting at Claire, she was desperately trying to get some kind of response from Claire who had passed out from the blast. PFC Morrison and three of his fellow troopers had formed a defensive line along the walls of the diner that faced towards town hall, trying to figure out what the hell was going on.

"What the hell just happened? Did somebody just drop a nuke on us?!" Private Edwards asked. They observed the crater that now was the center of town. Morrison was trying to determine the same thing when Private Camden, their squad's explosive expert and resident egghead chimed in. " No Edwards, that wasn't a nuke. We wouldn't be here if it was."

"Then what was it then?" Private Albet questioned him, with obvious fear in her eyes. "What could have created a blast that size and not be nuclear?"

"If I had to guess a sizable plastic explosive, but even then the size of the explosive to cause that kind of damage would have had to be the size of a car or something. We would have detected it if it was IN city hall." Camden continue to ponder the mystery.

"Unless….." Morrison paused, " Unless the saboteurs knew the mayor had decided to move the local armory to the town hall's basement last month!" he exclaimed. Everyone paused at the thought that this was potentially a planned bombing.

"Imm-impossible!" Edwards said, " We haven't had a raider or even a mutie attack in months! We haven't even found any suspicious or criminal activity in the past year that would indicate a large scale bombing!" Claire began to open her eyes and saw Miranda staring back into hers. "Claire you're awake!" Miranda hugged her tightly, " I was so worried you were hurt!"

"I'm ok really, now can you stop crushing me?" Claire squeaked. Chuckling to herself Miranda let her go and they went to the troopers to inquire on the situation. Morrison, relieved to see Claire alright shifted to give the girls room on the wall of the diner.

"Morrison, what's going on?" Claire asked. " I don't know Claire we are trying to figure it out ourselves." He replied. " Edwards, get on the radio with the garrison and give the a sitrep of the situation." without haste Edwards tried his radio.

" Attention. Attention, Cub 13 to Momma Bear 1, Cub 13 to Momma Bear 1 do you read me?" Edwards said and waited. No response. "Attention Cub 13 to Momma Bear 1 we have an unidentified explosion in the center of town, requesting sitrep over?" Nothing again. Morrison and the troopers began feeling a sense of dread as there ALWAYS was someone on comms detail.

"Um I think I see the reason our comms our down." Camden said, looking through binoculars. "Morrison, take a look 10 o'clock sharp." He handed the binoculars to Morrison and looked in that direction and gasped in shock. Not only did town hall go up in the blast, but several buildings including what used to be their outpost in town was gone too which meant their long wave radios were useless. "SON OF A BITCH!" Morrison hit the wall with his fist. " We lost the outpost and with it our ears. Now we can't contact the garrison outside of town for reinforcements or a sitrep."

" Uhh guys, I think that's the least of our worries!" Albet yelled, trembling in fear she pointed west of the town and all the troopers could see what was terrifying the normally fearless, Private Albet. Along the edge of town, over two dozen men formed alongside the edge of town. With the blow of a whistle they began their fast decent into town releasing a very audible war cry. "FOR THE GLORY OF CAESAR!" They charged into town.

After recovering from the blast. Local militia leader, James Jackson, grouped up his men in town to try and see who had survived the blast and aid the wounded, as well as getting all non-combatant personnel to a safe location. "Alright men listen up!" he yelled, getting his men's attention.

"Now we no we weren't nuked otherwise we would've been fried from the beginning, however, I have reason to believe that this was no accident. It seems all too coincidental that we had moved the armory to underneath city hall last month and now it just went up in flames." He paused. "Right now squads 1-2, I want all of you to form in your defensive groups and begin securing the designated watch points in town. If this was an attack, you can be sure our attackers will be coming soon. Squads three and four, help the NCR troopers gather as much equipment in the police station and in any other weapon stashes we keep in town. Squads five and six are on escort and aid detail. Get all the medical supplies you need and get everyone injured or unable to fight out to the safe zones understood?" he question the whole crowd and they replied with a unanimous cheer. " Good now move out!"

Just like the NCR who protected them. The Town of Valiant had learned a long time ago that a well trained, well equipped force was the deciding factor to a battle so they had several militia squads formed to deal with any threat that the wasteland produced. However after 15 minutes of dreadful silence had passed by one of the snipers radioed Jackson.

"Contact, I repeat contact on the eastern ridge of town. Around 2-3 dozen visible I repeat, 2-3 dozen visible." the sniper said. Jackson could hear fear in his voice. He yelled to his men, "WE HAVE COMPANY MEN BATTLESTATIONS!" and in an instant the militia squads grabbed whatever weapons that were in the police station and that survived the explosion and hunkered down for a difficult fight. They had homefront advantage…. Little did they know who they were up against. "FOR THE GLORY OF CAESAR!" The battle cry startled many of the militia, and the battle for Valiant began.

Claire and Miranda watched in horror as the first shots were being exchanged between the intrenched militia and their unknown attackers. Morrison quickly formulated a plan with his fellow troopers and beckoned the girls over. "Alright, we have just landed in some deep shit as you guys already know." he began, "Right now our number one priority is establishing radio coms with the garrison west of here. If we don't then we may lose the fight a lot quicker, these guys are no raiders I can tell you that."

Then an idea sparked a lightbulb in Claire's brain, she looked at Miranda. "Miranda! Doesn't Mattias have an old ham radio in his room?" she questioned her.

"Oh thats right! He's been working on that thing for weeks now." Miranda replied. With that information he devised a new plan.

"Alright guys, Edwards and I will escort the girls back to their home. We're gonna try that ham radio and see if we can get in touch with the garrison. Albet and Camden, I want you guys to get to town. Assist Jackson with whatever that man needs ok?" they all nodded their heads and replied with a "HURAH!"

"Camden, Albet, give your side arms and one fresh magazine to the girls. Stock up when you get to Jackson. Take mine and Edward's frag grenades." He told them. They all quickly exchanged weapons and ammo and set off. Morrison walked up to Claire and Miranda, looking at them straight in the eyes.

"You girls know how to use 9mm pistols right?" he questioned them in a serious tone. They both nodded and he continued, "Stay right behind me, don't fall out of line and remain calm. Edwards will cover the rear." They all exited the diner and set off to their objectives.


End file.
